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Application Process

The Postdoctoral Master's Degree Program can be completed in two years and has two academic cycles each year. Regardless of when you plan to apply, the three steps in the application process are the same; however, the timeline for completing the program may not be.

Application deadline

Begin course work

Proposal due

March 1

Summer quarter

Jan. 15

Sept. 1

Winter quarter

July 15

Note: Scholars admitted to the Postdoctoral Master's Degree Program are given priority registration in CTSC classes. Non-admitted attendees are allowed to register on a space-available basis.

1. Identify a mentor

Identifying a mentor is one of the most important steps in applying to the Postdoctoral Master's Degree Program. The most critical role of your mentor is to guide you in the research experience portion of the program. Your mentor must be an investigator at Mayo Clinic with extensive clinical or translational research experience. He or she must have, or meet the criteria for, master or full level faculty privileges including an academic rank of associate professor or higher; must have demonstrated NIH or R01 funding; and must have successful previous experience mentoring scholars.

Mentors must be chosen from within Mayo Clinic. Resources to identify and directly contact potential mentors include the following:

2. Complete and submit application materials

All application materials for the Postdoctoral Master's Degree Program are accepted, reviewed and processed by CCaTS Education Resources, although formal admission is granted by Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

All application materials must be received by either the March 1 or Sept. 1 application deadlines. Note: Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. The Postdoctoral Master's Degree Program prepares you to be an independent investigator. As such, the first competency you will need to gain is "adherence to deadlines." A researcher's success is dependent on his or her ability to successfully complete and submit an application on time.

Submit your completed program application with the supporting materials outlined on the first page of the application to the CCaTS Postdoctoral Master's Degree Program education specialist. Please indicate at the top of the second page that you are applying for the Postdoctoral Master's Degree Program.

The application form also requires the:

Mayo Clinic posting account unit (PAU)

Name and signature of your clinical or research administrator

Name and signature of your department or division chair

3. Application review

Applications are reviewed by the CCaTS Postdoctoral Programs Executive Committee immediately after the March 1 and Sept. 1 deadlines. You will be notified via email within six weeks regarding your application status.

Once you are admitted to the Postdoctoral Master's Degree Program, a nonrefundable program fee of $10,000 will be charged to the PAU you provide.

Contact

Our Education Contacts page contains a listing of team members who can assist you with questions.